Tree Buddies
by Jsquip13
Summary: Evan made a mistake, he didn't need to lie, but it kinda just happened?... It was either that or get his face beaten in by the kid who threw a printer at their third grade teacher. But how did he become friends with this guy? Now Evan has to deal with their entire friendship being based on a lie.


"Is this yours?" Connor asked, holding a paper out in front of Evan, standing just a few feet away from him. "I found it on the printer, 'Dear Evan Hansen.' That's your name right?"

Evan froze on the spot, unable to speak from the sudden fright that washed over him as Connor held out the paper. That was one of his letters his therapist makes him write, how could he have accidently printed it! There could be anything written on there! Any small rant he was on at the time, anything about his anxiety issues, or even- Zoe, Connor's sister. "I—um, it's stupid—just a paper I wrote for an… Um assignment?"

Connor glanced down at the paper, an assignment dedicated to himself? He didn't think much of it when he first saw it, thinking someone wrote it for Evan earlier in the day and accidently left it there. Well if it really is an assignment there shouldn't be anything that private about it, that Connor wouldn't be allowed to glance over it, besides he's had it this entire time anyhow and curiosity was getting the best of him at this point. After skimming it for a moment he realized it was a letter, probably some dumb stereotypical 'letter to yourself' assignment that some dumb teacher with no joy in life assigned to punish their students into talking about themself, and that's her way of pretending to care about 'getting to know them'. However something caught his eye that really made him pay attention to it. Connor paused, and stared up at Evan.

The sudden look made Evan hold his breath.

"Because there's Zoe?" He read the line out to Evan. "Is this about MY sister?"

"What—no not at all-"

"You wrote this because you knew I would find it!" Connor took a step toward Evan, angrily balling up his fist that held the letter.

"Wha—"

"You knew I was the only other person in the computer lab, and printed this out _knowing_ I would find some creepy shit you wrote about MY sister!"

"No, no, not at all!" Evan stuttered as Connor began to come closer. "It's about my best friend!"

Connor stopped for a second, then continued walking again toward Evan, "Bullshit."

"She died!" Evan blurted out, raising his hands in defense, causing Connor to stop completely this time. "A week before school ended last year." Evan paused, why did I just do that? Evan nervously looking down at his cast. "That's why uh… no one has signed my cast… She um, she was my only friend, and she never got a chance— it happened during the summer. She would have been the only one… that cared to—"

"Oh." Was all Connor was able to say in reply, feeling slightly guilty he went off on Evan if this really was a misunderstanding. "Weird coincidence. I didn't know there was another Zoe at the school." Connor mentioned. He would have remembered meeting someone with the same name as his sister, mostly because he would have made fun of her for it.

Evan swallowed, "She doesn't—didn't go here, I mean, I met her while volunteering at the park close by… About two years ago." Evan stop pushing this!

Connor nodded his head slowly as Evan spoke, still debating if he believes him or not. He couldn't tell if Evan was nervous because he was lying, or because he knows Evan usually doesn't talk to anyone, especially someone like Connor. Evan could sense the doubt and uncontrollably continued on with his story.

"I um… It's hard for me to talk to you—anyone, people. New people. I'm trying to get better at that… T-This letter is something my therapist makes me do—about how I feel. To 'boost my self confidence' as my mom says… It's embarrassing to talk about." Evan trailed off for a moment as he fidgets with his shirt. This actually was really embarrassing to talk about. "She was going to try to transfer here for our senior year… I was… really looking forward to it—but even though she's not… I know that if she was, everything would be great."

"How did she die?" Connor asked, sincerely wanting to know.

"Wha— oh, um, s-she died in a car accident, on the way to hang out at my house… The guy was... H-He was drunk." Evan said nervously.

Connor nodded his head, "Damn, that's rough." Connor reached out his hand that held the papers, showing that he trusted Evan's story. "Sorry I got so uh… defensive." He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I'm sure you know I tend to do that a lo-"

"That's fine."

"What?"

"What…?"

"What do you mean... 'That's fine'?"

Evan nervously laughed, "W-well I understand, that you can't control how you act, no matter how much you want to."

"You understand…?"  
Evan shook his head, fidgeting in his spot, "Of course I do."

"Oh—right. Of course." Connor stretched his arm out farther for Evan to take the paper. "What is your problem anyway? I figured you were just really shy, but..."

Evan laughed nervously and took the paper, "Yeah… I feel like most people think that."

"I didn't mean it in a bad way—"

"I-It's alright. I just um, it's stupid…" Evan mumbled. "It's just really hard to talk to… anyone. Mostly strangers, especially strangers."

Connor nodded his head, thinking he understands what Evan is dealing with. "So uh. Do you want my email?"

"Email—?"

"Yeah, I'd give you my phone number but I left my phone at home this morning, and I don't know my number it by heart. Only nerds do." Connor mockingly said. "But uh, I understand what it's like to be an outcast you know… Maybe it would be cool to hang out sometime?"

"Oh… Um, yeah. That'd be... cool?" Evan took out his phone and opened it up to his notes application, handing his phone off to Connor who proceeded to type his Email in.

"I'll email you my phone number later... And try not to text me too much, keep it to the Emails if you can. I swear my dad checks my phone anytime he can, and I reeeally don't need my family finding out about a friend."

"Friend…?"

"Well, yeah. We uh… We could both use a friend, right?" Connor smirked and elbowed Evan's side, minding his broken arm.

Evan smiled and nodded, "Yeah. I think that'd be great."

Connor smiled down at the other as well, glancing down at his cast, "Really no ones signed it?"

"Hm?" Evan raised a brow, not realizing Connor meant his cast at first., "Oh. Yeah. No..."

Connor smirked and fiddled with his satchel for a Sharpie, raising Evan's arm as well to properly write on. When he finally found a marker he wrote "CONNOR" in big messy letters all across his cast.

Evan looked down at it and sighed, but had a small smile still lingered on his face, "Oh— greaaat."

Triumphantly Connor closed his marker cap and smiled down at it. "There, now you wont look like a total loser."

Evan kept staring at it, well he wasn't wrong. But is one really big name actually any better than having nothing? Doesn't that seem just as pathetic, if not even more? He could always pull off that he just wanted to keep it nice and clean but... The thought was still rather kind on Connors part… Evan chuckled and looked up at Connor. "Thank you."

"N-no problem." Connor shly replied. He was pretty sure no one's ever seemed to thank him so genuinely before. "Anyway, Email me when you can, I have to get going." Connor fixed his satchel on his shoulder and started to head off, "Don't forget!" He teasingly shouted.

"I won't!" Evan shouted back, noticing the smile forming on the others face as he walked away. His own smile however quickly faded once Connor was out of sight, and he had fully realized what he had done.

He just lied about having a dead friend for fucks sake! Why did he do that? Telling Connor he just has a crush on Zoe might have been better?! Well maybe not— but at least it wouldn't have involved lying—maybe just really pissing off Connor. But now he'll have to keep up this charade he's created about a friend he's never had, when the closest person to a friend he's ever had was Jared! Wait a second—Jared can help him out!

* * *

"Oh. My. Fucking. God. You're friends with the school freak!" Jared shouted at his computer, but mostly at Evan who he knows isn't looking at him through the Skype window. "What a pair! The kid who can hardly talk to anyone, and the one who everyone thinks is batshit crazy."

"Don't talk about him like that." sighing he continued, "He's not— He's not that bad." Evan mumbled, trying to start an Email that he plans to send to Connor.

"What do you have a crush on the guy? Oh wait no— that would be his _**SISTER**_ _!"_

"Shut up." Evan mumbled.

"Do you know what would happen if he found out you lied to him? AND you like his sister?" Jared commented.

Evan wasn't paying attention to Jared at this point, he was too focus on what he was wanting to write.

"Evan! What are you doing that's so important? This is serious! You can't be friends with him, you're an outcast as it is! Our family expects me to look after you—do you know how hard that's going to be when you're friends with Connor fucking Murphy?" Jared exclaimed. "Lord knows how he's going to treat you, or how the rest of the school will when they find out you're friends with HIM."

"You know maybe he isn't that bad of a guy Jared!" Evan snapped.

Jared went silent, which wasn't something he'd typically do, but then again Evan's never really snapped on Jared like that before. It must have caught him extremely off guard. Evan knew he had to be the one to say something now to try to smooth everything over. "I'm writing an Email to him right now, and it would be great if you'd stop bashing him and start helping me figure out what to say." Evan mumbled.

"What, did he give you his Email so his parents wont find out about his 'little friend' Evan." Jared joked, mostly to lighten up the mood. Evan stayed quiet however. "Holy shit, he's so predictable!"

"Well he did leave his phone at home Jar-"

"It's one of those secret Emails too isn't it?" Jared continued, cutting Evan off. He started to laugh once he noticed the others embarrassed and frustrated face displayed across his screen—must have been true.

"Why are you so nosey about Connor anyway?" Evan groaned.

"Because I'm the one who has to look out for you—you know this."

"Yeah so your parents can keep paying your car insurance for you."

"Well that is a benefit yeah—but besides that your my best family friend, Evan. I'm basically required to look out for you anyway."

"Exactly, you're my 'family friend'! Can't I just have someone who thinks of me as a normal friend for once?"

"Not when that friend just so happens to be a lunatic. Besides you used to have a 'normal friend' remember? Or did that little lie already pass your mind, hm?"Jared glared at Evan through his screen, even though he knew Evan's face was glued to a blank Email. "What if Connor finds out?"

"He won't."

"What if your mom slips up? Are you even going to tell her?"

"No—you know I can't. She'll never approve of a situation like this."

"So what, you won't ever invite him over?

"Not when moms home, I guess."

"Oh my god, Evan, listen to yourself! You're a socially awkward geek who lied to the schools maniac about some weird sex letter you wrote about his sister—"

"Wha—It's not—!"

"Neither of your parents know you're friends, you're going to see each other in secret, you're basically writing secret Emails to each other as well, and there's the possibility of Connor finding out everything you told him was a lie!" Jared huffed. "This all sounds like a really bad fanfiction or an extremely poorly written, overly detailed, porno. Besides you realize if anyone finds out about any of this they're gonna think you're lovers right?"

"Excuse me?"

"I would if I found out my kid was secretly seeing some person I never knew about."

"Of course _you_ would think that, Jared."

"Anyone would think that, Evan!"

They both sat in silence for a while, Jared not knowing how to handle the situation anymore, and not wanting to push Evan any farther on how much he disapproves, while Evan's just frustrated and a bit annoyed.

"Look, Evan… This is totally insane, but… I guess it might be good for you to have another friend, even if he's batshit crazy."

Evan nodded his head, appreciating that Jared is at least trying to see Evan's point of view now. "Thanks."

"You do realize that if something bad happens with him you do have to tell me right?"

"Of course—but what would go bad?"

"He's Connor Murphy, Evan. Even if he sees you as a friend, he might still explode one day. Especially if he finds out the truth."

"He won't. Besides I think he has a better grasp on himself than most people give him credit for"

"And why do you think that?"

"Because he acts differently to me! He's just a dick to you because of your bad jokes! He's actually kinda nice, and a little reserved, or maybe shy at times?"

"You don't think he has a crush on you do you?" Jared joked.

"JARED!" Evan shouted, slightly embarrassed.

"I'm just playing, jeez. Don't need to get so defensive." He teased

"I can handle myself you know."

"Yeah, hardly. Anyway I think it's time for me to leave you and your secret lover to your _private_ Emails." Jared laughed while Evan rolled his eyes. Jared quickly hung up on the other to let him tend to his emails.

Jared always seems to say one thing too much, and he didn't even help him figure out what to send to Connor at all. Instead he just got lectured… That's not what he was expecting at all.

 _Dear Connor Murphy,_

 _It was great talking to you,..._

"Ah… No"

 _Dear Connor Murphy,_

 _Thanks for holding my paper!..._

"Arggg! I have no idea what to say!" Evan sighed. Keep it simple right? Don't be weird. Just send him something, and everything will be fine.

 _Dear Connor Murphy,_

 _(xxx) xxx-xxxx Here's my number, oh and this is my Email. It's Evan btw. We should hang out soon!_

 _Sincerely, Evan Hansen._

"I guess that's good enough…" Evan sighed as he sent the email.

"Hey Evan?" He heard a voice come from behind him, and slammed his laptop shut.

"Hey mom…"

"What're you up to? Anything cool happen at school today?

"Just homework… And no."

"Ah…" She looked down at Evans arm that seemed to be holding his laptop shut, noticing writing on his cast.

Evan noticed her staring and how she seemed to be beaming with excitement. "Oh—uh, I— He noticed no one signed my cast. After school. I don't really know him… He just felt bad, I guess..."

"Oh, well that was sweet of him. Maybe you can find him at school again and become friends?"

"Making friends Isn't that easy… Especially for someone like me."

"Oh come on Evan! You're a sweet boy, you just gotta learn how to put yourself out there a little more."

"I know, I know... "

There was a moment of silence between then before Evan's mom decided it was probably time for her to leave him alone, it was getting pretty late after all… Since she didn't get out of work until 10pm, and he has school tomorrow. "Well… Don't stay up too late, I love you."

"Love you too, mom." Evan waited for his door to shut all the way before he opened his laptop back up. He had already got an Email? It was from Connor!

 _Yo Evan, come over. Now._

 _Connor_

There was a file attached to the Email, it was an address…? He didn't know what to say back. Should he say ok? Should he say nothing at all and just go- no maybe that would seem like he's not going at all. Evan replied back that he was on his way, but how is he going to explain this to his mom?

Evan left a note on his bed that he was going over to Jared's, that he needed him immediately for some project he didn't finish. Evan grabbed his phone and typed in the address, this didn't seem to be his house… Where was Connor? Evan snuck out of his room and quickly but quietly made his way to the door, he peeked over to his mom's room who's light just went out inside of it. She must be going to bed, but at least if she does wake up she can see the note, but hopefully that wouldn't happen because no matter what it said he'd probably be lectured if she found out. It was only a fifteen minute walk before he got there. This was the park? What was he doing here?

"Connor?" Evan half whispered a few times, not wanting to be too loud since he was sure that they weren't supposed to be here after dark, but still wanted to be loud enough to be heard.

"Evan…" Connor finally shouted at him once he knew it was Evan calling for him, and not his family. He was sitting under a tree.

Evan rushed over, "Connor-What's up? W-Why are you here...?" Connor had his head in his knees and didn't seem to want to move.

"..."

Evan sat down beside him, thinking it might be easier for Connor to talk to him without having to look above him.

Connor swiftly turned to Evan and hugged him without a word. Evan wrapped his arms around the other and gently patted his back. He can feel that Connor's cheeks were a bit wet as Connor nudged his face into the others neck. Was he crying?

"T-...Thank you for coming." Connor whispered.

"N-No problem, Connor… But why are you out here?"

"I..." Connor cut himself off and held the other tighter. "You like parks right?"

"Well… Yeah, there's lots of trees, a-and they're all so different and beautiful."

Connor smiled a bit, trying to stop himself from crying any longer. "Ah…"

"Connor, whats wrong?"

"Noth-"

"Connor, please… You wouldn't have called me out here at close to 11 at night for nothing. Be-besides… I can see that you're crying…"

Connor pulled away and tried his best to smile at him, "I thought it would be fun to bring you somewhere you'd like."

"Connor…"

Connor sighed, "You're really going to be persistent on this aren't you…?"

"Of course! You're obviously upset and I want to help you!" Evan pleaded, grabbing the others hand.

This… This was the first thing Evan said to Connor that didn't even have a hint of nervousness, does that mean something? Connor signed once again and held up his phone. It showed that Connor had sent two Emails about twenty minutes ago, one to Evan, and one to another Email Evan obviously didn't know. "I..-uh. I sent you and my dealer an Email. I basically promised myself whoever came first would um…" Connor trailed off for a moment and took a deep breath. "Who ever showed up first would determine if I kill myself or not."

Evan's eyes widened.

"You replied though, and he didn't… Thankfully. If I had known you rushed over and I had made that decision… I don't know ahhh. It would have sucked. At least I know someone cares about me."

"Doesn't you family?" Evan asked, but immediately regretted it as soon as he saw the look on the others face.

"They might. I don't know, they act like they do but I feel like they don't… Like I'm just the burden that they have to deal with everyday, and yeah that's my fault but… They're family, shouldn't they love me anyway?"

"I'm sure they do Connor…"

Connor sighed, "Yeah… I mean…" Connor swallowed, "At least I have someone who seems to care… you do care right?"

"Connor I wouldn't have snuck out of my house to come see you this late at night if i didn't care about you. You're really sweet to me, and yeah I just met you, but you're one of the only people that talk to me, and you genuinely want to be my friend. I don't think I'd give that up for anything."

Connor tried to hold back his tears and quickly hugged the other, knocking them both to the ground.

Evan softly laughed and stared up at Connor, "Do you want to… Come over? And deal with all this tomorrow… You seem like you need to forget about all this for a night." Evan offered.

Connor blinked a few times, baffled, and nodded his head. "That sounds great…"

Evan smiled, "Coolz, C-Dawd."

"What…?"

"I was trying to be cool…"

"Dude…" Connor laughed, "You suck at being cool." Connor smirked and stood up, holding out his hand to help the other to his feet.

Evan grabbed his hand and rolled his eyes, "Shut upppp."


End file.
